As the newly re-elected president of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, Luter said he sees it as his duty to reach out to the small churches that make up a large percentage of the convention.

On Saturday morning, Luter made the four-hour round trip from New Orleans to speak at the annual meeting of James E. Messer Ministries at First Baptist Church in Theodore.

“That’s one of my goals, to make it known that not only is this convention catering to large churches, but it’s catering to small churches and small associations. The fact of the matter is, most of our churches in this convention are 200 members or less.”

At such events, Luter gets a chance to shake hands with local pastors and church members, and pose for pictures. His ready smile and easygoing manner work to eliminate any lingering racial barriers, which seems to come naturally to the first African-American elected as head of the denomination.

“They’re coming down day by day, week by week, month by month,” said Luter who was re-elected in June for another year.

As evidence of that trend, Luter prayed Saturday over a new predominantly black congregation that will hold services in the traditionally white First Baptist Theodore. ZOE Church Ministries, a congregation of about 50, is applying to join the Southern Baptist Convention, which would make it the 12th predominantly black church in the denomination in Mobile County.

Members of the new church gathered near the dais in the gym Saturday, surrounded by First Baptist members who laid hands on their shoulders to pray.

"I know heaven is rejoicing, God, because I know this is your heart's desire," he prayed. "I pray that their example will be a testimony ... all over the state and all over the country."

Speaking to the crowd of about 150, Luter read from Matthew 9:35-38, which relates the story of Jesus’ teaching in synagogues in towns and villages proclaiming the good news.

“What would Jesus do?” asked Luter. “With all the things going on in your town and my town, in your city and my city, in your state and my state, the question of the hour is, ‘What is it going to take to reach our society?”

The pastor pointed out the example of Jesus, who had concern for the crowds in his day, showed compassion to the people and issued a charge to the disciples to reach out to them.

Take the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, who had had five husbands. “Here was a woman that had a bad background,” Luter said. “She came to the well to get some water and met Jesus at the well.”

Jesus told her he would give her living water so that she would never thirst again. “There’s one thing. Go home to your husband,” Luter said, quoting Jesus.

“She said, ‘Houston, we have a problem,’” he said, drawing laughs from the crowd.

The longtime pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans said he hasn’t always been a man of God.

“Y’all see Fred Luter now. Ya’ll see this guy who’s president of the Southern Baptist Convention,” he said, his voice taking on a rapid rhythm. “Ladies and gentleman, that’s hasn’t always been my story.

“At one time, I was too mean to live, not fit to die, going to hell,” he said. “God did something in my life, pastor, that I didn’t deserve. God gave me another chance.”

Luter said that it’s up to the church to be concerned and compassionate, especially to young people who have grown up without values and respect for life.

“Those of us who have been there, done that and got the T-shirt must show compassion,” he said.

“Some of y’all have gotten over being saved. Shame on you,” he said. “Those of you are still amazed by God’s amazing grace in your own life must show compassion to this generation.”

He quoted the Bible passage from Matthew, saying "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few."

"Jesus said this to his disciples -- not to the Democrats. His disciples -- not to the Republicans," he said, his voice rising to a crescendo.

"If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land!"